Differential diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in children: a five-year retrospective study at a pediatric referral hospital
Abstract Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonotic disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania and is transmitted by sandflies of the genus Lutzomyia. Children under 15 years are disproportionately affected. In pediatric patients, the clinical and laboratory features of VL often ov...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2024-11-01
|
| Series: | BMC Pediatrics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-05160-9 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846164864670629888 |
|---|---|
| author | Anaisa Gomes Ramos Soares Juliana de Sales Landim Natiécia Gomes França Edilson Beserra de Alencar Filho Rodrigo Feliciano do Carmo |
| author_facet | Anaisa Gomes Ramos Soares Juliana de Sales Landim Natiécia Gomes França Edilson Beserra de Alencar Filho Rodrigo Feliciano do Carmo |
| author_sort | Anaisa Gomes Ramos Soares |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonotic disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania and is transmitted by sandflies of the genus Lutzomyia. Children under 15 years are disproportionately affected. In pediatric patients, the clinical and laboratory features of VL often overlap with those of other infectious and hematology-oncology diseases, making differential diagnosis challenging. Rapid and accurate identification of VL is critical for effective treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of pediatric patients initially suspected of having VL and to compare their final diagnoses upon discharge from a referral hospital. Methods We retrospectively analyzed medical records of children with suspected VL, admitted between July 2014 and June 2019. Results Infectious diseases were confirmed in 61% of cases (86 patients), with VL confirmed in 55 cases. Hematology-oncology diseases were the second most common diagnosis, affecting 22.7% of patients (32 cases). Comparisons between the VL-confirmed group and those with other diagnoses revealed no significant age difference (p = 0.690). However, female sex, spleen size, and leukopenia were identified as significant predictors of VL. Conclusions Female sex, spleen size, and leukopenia were key predictors for differentiating VL from other pediatric diseases in a referral center in the Northeast Region of Brazil. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-93d64b9830a94667ac43c4e4be9578e9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2431 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pediatrics |
| spelling | doaj-art-93d64b9830a94667ac43c4e4be9578e92024-11-17T12:48:58ZengBMCBMC Pediatrics1471-24312024-11-012411610.1186/s12887-024-05160-9Differential diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in children: a five-year retrospective study at a pediatric referral hospitalAnaisa Gomes Ramos Soares0Juliana de Sales Landim1Natiécia Gomes França2Edilson Beserra de Alencar Filho3Rodrigo Feliciano do Carmo4Postgraduate Program in Health and Biological Sciences, Federal University of the São Francisco ValleyCollege of Medicine, Federal University of the São Francisco ValleyCollege of Pharmaceutical Science, Federal University of the São Francisco ValleyPostgraduate Program in Health and Biological Sciences, Federal University of the São Francisco ValleyPostgraduate Program in Health and Biological Sciences, Federal University of the São Francisco ValleyAbstract Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonotic disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania and is transmitted by sandflies of the genus Lutzomyia. Children under 15 years are disproportionately affected. In pediatric patients, the clinical and laboratory features of VL often overlap with those of other infectious and hematology-oncology diseases, making differential diagnosis challenging. Rapid and accurate identification of VL is critical for effective treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of pediatric patients initially suspected of having VL and to compare their final diagnoses upon discharge from a referral hospital. Methods We retrospectively analyzed medical records of children with suspected VL, admitted between July 2014 and June 2019. Results Infectious diseases were confirmed in 61% of cases (86 patients), with VL confirmed in 55 cases. Hematology-oncology diseases were the second most common diagnosis, affecting 22.7% of patients (32 cases). Comparisons between the VL-confirmed group and those with other diagnoses revealed no significant age difference (p = 0.690). However, female sex, spleen size, and leukopenia were identified as significant predictors of VL. Conclusions Female sex, spleen size, and leukopenia were key predictors for differentiating VL from other pediatric diseases in a referral center in the Northeast Region of Brazil.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-05160-9Visceral leishmaniasisChildrenNeglected diseasesDifferential diagnosis |
| spellingShingle | Anaisa Gomes Ramos Soares Juliana de Sales Landim Natiécia Gomes França Edilson Beserra de Alencar Filho Rodrigo Feliciano do Carmo Differential diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in children: a five-year retrospective study at a pediatric referral hospital BMC Pediatrics Visceral leishmaniasis Children Neglected diseases Differential diagnosis |
| title | Differential diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in children: a five-year retrospective study at a pediatric referral hospital |
| title_full | Differential diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in children: a five-year retrospective study at a pediatric referral hospital |
| title_fullStr | Differential diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in children: a five-year retrospective study at a pediatric referral hospital |
| title_full_unstemmed | Differential diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in children: a five-year retrospective study at a pediatric referral hospital |
| title_short | Differential diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in children: a five-year retrospective study at a pediatric referral hospital |
| title_sort | differential diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in children a five year retrospective study at a pediatric referral hospital |
| topic | Visceral leishmaniasis Children Neglected diseases Differential diagnosis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-05160-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT anaisagomesramossoares differentialdiagnosisofvisceralleishmaniasisinchildrenafiveyearretrospectivestudyatapediatricreferralhospital AT julianadesaleslandim differentialdiagnosisofvisceralleishmaniasisinchildrenafiveyearretrospectivestudyatapediatricreferralhospital AT natieciagomesfranca differentialdiagnosisofvisceralleishmaniasisinchildrenafiveyearretrospectivestudyatapediatricreferralhospital AT edilsonbeserradealencarfilho differentialdiagnosisofvisceralleishmaniasisinchildrenafiveyearretrospectivestudyatapediatricreferralhospital AT rodrigofelicianodocarmo differentialdiagnosisofvisceralleishmaniasisinchildrenafiveyearretrospectivestudyatapediatricreferralhospital |